47 of the 152 complaints filed about the BMW M5 are about the airbag system — 31% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2006.
47
Complaints
31%
Share of all complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
AIR BAGS
The passenger seat occupancy sensor, an electrocapacitive mat (ecm), is defective on a large number of cars on the g30/fop platform including mine. This leads to intermittent sensor faults which cause an airbag warning.
NHTSA complaint #11743092 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
This is for the front passenger seat only.The idrive system will give an error for the passenger restraint system and will mention there is a seat belt issue and turn off the airbag. This is intermittent and will happen with or without a passenger. I contacted BMW about it but because it is not presently acting out, they won't do anything about it unless I want to just start paying for new parts and do "exploratory" surgery on it trying to resolve this. Unacceptable as this has been happening for a couple of years and is a danger because of it happens during an accident it could prove fatal.
NHTSA complaint #11577017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
The original airbag in my vehicle was replaced with a Takata airbag at some point (prior to my ownership) that is subject to recall, but the dealer will not replace because my VIN was not part of the recall. I have removed the airbag to verify that the part number matches the recall. It is silly to recall a part 15+ years after production and use a VIN as a means to identify affected drivers. Perhaps as a starting point, but it will never encompass all affected drivers, as parts are frequently replaced as vehicles age. The parts were sold by the vehicle manufacturer and are installed in a working vehicle. Those should be the only requirements to get a replacement, especially as it relates to a potentially lethal defect.
NHTSA complaint #11557521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2000 BMW M5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V047000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer denied the repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V047000 (Air Bags) due to the steering wheel not being the original steering wheel. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11526047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW M5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE "AIR BAG OFF" INDICATOR WAS FLASHING FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.
NHTSA complaint #11193446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW M5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE "AIR BAG OFF" INDICATOR WAS FLASHING FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.
NHTSA complaint #11193446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW M5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE "AIR BAG OFF" INDICATOR WAS FLASHING FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.
NHTSA complaint #11193446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
LIGHT COMES ON FOR PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION
NHTSA complaint #11051087 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
UPON STARTING MY CAR, I RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE " FAULT IN PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIR BAGS, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITER" THE MESSAGE CONTINUES TO SHOW UP EVERY DAY.. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT HAS A RECALL IN ALL OTHER 5 SERIES MODELS FOR THIS YEAR, 2006 AND HAS A RECALL FOR THOSE VEHICLES. THIS MODEL SHOULD BE ADDED SINCE ITS THE SAME ISSUE. SEE ATTACHED.
NHTSA complaint #11012472 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW M5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V047000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
NHTSA complaint #10983677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW M5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
NHTSA complaint #10908738 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL. BMW HAS YET TO ISSUE A FIX FOR THIS RECALL. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE THE INITIAL NOTICE WENT OUT. MY LOCAL DEALER AND BMW USA HAS NO INFORMATION AS TO WHEN A FIX WILL BE AVAILABLE. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE UNACCEPTABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10851466 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
I HAVE BEEN WAITING SINCE JULY 2015 FOR BMW TO HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX THE POTENTIALLY FATAL AIR BAG FLAW IN MY CAR. I AM STILL WAITING. THIS IS RECALL CAMPAIGN 15V-318: DRIVER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG MODULE
NHTSA complaint #10846033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHILE A PASSENGER OCCUPIED THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BASE OF THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
NHTSA complaint #10809451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
THE CAR HAS AN ISSUE WITH PASSENGER AIRBAG OCCUPANCY SENSOR, WHEN SOMEONE SITS ON THE PASSANGER SEAT THE AIRBAG TURNS ON, THESE BMWS HAS MANY RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE, FOR SOME REASON MINE DOES NOT FALL INTO THE RECALL. I HAVE SCANNED THE COMPUTER AND CONFIRMED THAT THE SENSOR IS THE ISSUE, I WOULD LIKE THIS ISSUE TO BE RECALLED ON MY CAR BECAUSE THIS A COMMON ISSUE FOR THESE, I HAVE READ MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE, ON FORUMS, BUT A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED, I THINK ITS IMPORTANT TO DO THIS RECALL BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE FOR MY PASSANGER, IN CASE SOME SORT OF ACCIDENT HAPPENS AND THE AIRBAG DOES NOT DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #10747870 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
MALFUNCTION IN PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM. WARNING MESSAGE STATING "FAULT IN PASSENGER - RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT FORCE LIMITER" IS ACTIVATED EVERY FEW MINUTES THAT CAR IS IN DRIVE. WAS INFORMED THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY AND MY EXTENDED WARRANTY PROVIDER (HENDRICKS AUTOGUARD) HAS REFUSED TO HONOR ITS OBLIGATIONS BY CLAIMING THE PART IS A NON-COVERED ELECTRICAL COMPONENT.
NHTSA complaint #10677013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
WELL DOCUMENTED (ON THE INTERNET) PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE ACTIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILING, TYPICALLY DUE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OCCUPANCY MAT. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED IN ALMOST EVERY MODEL MANUFACTURED SINCE 2000, BUT HAS ONLY BEEN ADDRESSED IN A FEW, SELECT, VEHICLES. THIS IS THE MOST COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THIS MODEL ON CARSAFETY.GOV AND HAS NOT BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY BMW OF NORTH AMERICA. THIS PROBLEM, IN ITSELF, CAN LEAD TO A VARIETY OF MALFUNCTIONS IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THE PROBLEM HAS ALSO LED TO A LARGE MARKET OF "DUMMY SENSORS" BEING SOLD ON EBAY AND SIMILAR SITES, WHICH TRICK THE COMPUTER INTO THINKING THE AIRBAG SENSOR IS CORRECTLY FUNCTIONING. THESE DUMMY SENSORS DO NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM AND CAN LEAD TO AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH. SYNOPSIS: AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT AND RESTRAINT SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT APPEAR IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. IDRIVE SYSTEM READS: PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. SEAT SENSOR MAT FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG DISENGAGES WHEN PASSENGER IS SEATED. THE DISENGAGING OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG POSES A GREAT DANGER FOR THE PASSENGER DUE TO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH. BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE M5 E60 SERIES, BUT WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OF SAFETY. BMW CHARGES THE OWNER UP TO 5000.00 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10664215 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
ON SEPT 25, 2014, I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 BMW M5 AND TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN I WAS HIT FROM THE REAR, SHOVED ON TOP AND OVER A MEDIAN AND INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR AND THEN STRUCK AGAIN FROM THE FRONT. I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST THE DRIVER THAT HIT ME WAS GOING, HOWEVER, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE WERE DEPLOYED. I AM UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CHARACTERISTICS IN WHICH EACH AIRBAG WOULD BE DEPLOYED AND I REQUESTING THE NHTSA TO PERFORM THAT REVIEW.
NHTSA complaint #10641706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
A MESSAGE FLASHED ON THE SCREEN STATING THAT THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TEST RESULTS SHOWED THAT A SEAT MAT SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ESTIMATED COST OVER 3000 DOLLARS ASKING BMW TO AUTHORIZE UNDER SIMILAR RECALL REPAIR. BMW ISSUED 10 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY ON SIMILAR 5 SERIES. BMW PLEASE CONTACT ME CURRENTLY TRAVELING IN EUROPE WITH MY CAR. NEED REPLACEMENT IN UKRAINE OFFICIAL DEALERSHIP MY DIRECT LINE +[XXX] THANK YOU. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10638247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
SEAT SENSOR MAT FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG DISENGAGES WHEN PASSENGER IS SEATED. THE DISENGAGING OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG POSES A GREAT DANGER FOR THE PASSENGER DUE TO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH. BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE M5 E60 SERIES, BUT WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OF SAFETY. BMW CHARGES THE OWNER UP TO 5000.00 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE A CAR THAT'S UNSAFE FOR MY FAMILY OR ANY PASSENGER.
NHTSA complaint #10631207 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.